The home ministry on October 2 had said that 28 places and features in Ladakh were marked on the official map of India, each under its standard name.
Published: October 13, 2026, 5:42 PM IST
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MEA responded to China claiming several areas of Ladakh as its ownFile Image/PTI
India has reiterated that the Union Territory of Ladakh is an internal part of the country, saying that no amount of denial by China can change this established factThe statement came after Beijing objected to New Delhi’s move to formally identify 28 geographical features in the region.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “UT of Ladakh is an integral and inalienable part of IndiaNo amount of denial by the Chinese side can change this established fact.”
Also Read | India standardises names of 28 geographical features in UT of Ladakh, China issues statement
Responding to media queries on remarks by the Chinese side, Jaiswal also defended the government’s move to identify 28 places and geographical features on the Survey of India’s official map, saying the Union home ministry’s announcement was “self-explanatory.”
Gogra and Hot Spring are among the major strategic locations and were friction points in the 2020 standoff between Indian and Chinese forcesThe areas are crucial for Indian patrols along the LAC.
India on 2 October formally identified 28 strategic locations and geographical features in Ladakh on its official map, among them border friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) such as Gogra and Hot SpringUndertaken in consultation with the Ladakh administration, the exercise was aimed at improving official mapping, ensuring precise identification and raising public awareness of the sensitive border region.
China reacts to claims
Reacting to New Delhi’s step to cement its geographical records, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, as reported by The Global Times on Tuesday, made claims over the Indian territory, alleging that India’s move was illegal.
“China has never recognised the so-called “Union Territory of Ladakh” unilaterally and illegally established by India and firmly opposes India’s announcement of so-called standard namesThe move is illegal and invalid and cannot change the fact that the relevant areas in the western sector of the China-India boundary have always belonged to China,” Mao said as quoted by The Global Times.
